Thumb rest



J. M. MYER v Oct. 13, 1936.

Filed March 11, 1935 176.536 M jfyer;

BY myzm% ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a thumb rest and more especially to a thumb contact for drinking vessels such as cups, mugs, glasses or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a rest of this character, wherein in the holding of a drinking vessel the thumb of a hand will be at rest removed from the body of the vessel, particularly when holding the same by its handle so that the heat from the contents of such vessel will be kept from the thumb particularly when drinking from the vessel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rest of this character, wherein a drinking vessel can be more conveniently held during the action of drinking therefrom, especially when holding the vessel by a handle or its equivalent.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rest of this character, wherein the thumb of a hand of a user when engaged with the rest will enable the drinking vessel to be more firmly held to eliminate accidental dropping of the vessel during its handling, the rest being of a character so as not to detract from the vessel, particularly the external design or configuration 5 thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rest of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efiicient in its purpose, neat in appearance, durable, and

inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drinking cup showing the rest constructed in accordance with the invention applied.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the cup held in the hand of a user with the thumb engaging the rest.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a drinking cup of a conventional kind having an eyelet-like handle 5, this being standard and accommodates a finger of the hand of a person when manipulating the cup for drinking of the contents therefrom. 5

On the external face of the body of the cup A next to the handle 5 and at the left hand side thereof is provided a thumb rest, which, in this instance, comprises a vertically directed rib 6, built or otherwise formed to protrude the re- 10 quired distance from the external surface of the body of the cup A so that when the finger is engaged in the handle 5 the thumb of the hand will have contact upon this rib 6 and thereby facilitating a more convenient handling of the cup 15 particularly during the drinking of the contents therefrom. Furthermore, the rib 6 will minimize heat from the contents of the cup A reaching the thumb when holding the cup in the hand. The rib 6 is of a length only slightly greater than the 20 finger opening in the handle 5, being substantially rectangular in cross section and has its ends beveled or inclined to the juncture of said rib with the body of the cup. Thev rectangular space between the handle 5 and the said rib is approxi- 25 mately equal to the cross sectional extent of said rib and the outer face of the rib forms a contact as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

The outer surface 9 provides a seat for the thumb of a hand of a user, the rib 6 being of the 30 required width so that the seat 9 will be of sufficient size to have the thumb comfortably rest therein when the cup body 8 is carried in the hand of a user.

It is, of course, understood that the cup A may 35 have the rib 6 provided on either side of the handle or on both sides with respect thereto for service by a user of such cup when handling the same by the right or left hand. The rib 6 is preferably rounded with a graceful, gradual, smooth 40 blending of the top and bottom of the rib with the cup at the external surface thereof.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a cup having a handle provided with a finger hole and a substantially 4,5 rectangular rib of a length slightly greater than the vertical extent of the finger hole formed on the cup at one side of the handle and protruding from the cup and having its outer face concaved.

JESSE M. MYER. 50 

